Vegetable washing machine



April 11, 1939. P. Q

VEGETABLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Shee-t 1 INVENTOR Mam ATTOR EY April 11, 1939. P. NIQOSIA 2,154,106

VEGETABLE WASHI NG MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIII x I g-Q w Q :MR 8 w x Q N g! Q yw L 3 Cir Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for washing root vegetables, more especially such as potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, etc. It can also be used for polishing onions and other purposes.

Another object of the invention is to construct the machine so that it can be built cheaply and will operate efficiently.

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification, and pointed out in the claim at the end thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of my improved machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine shown inv Figure 1, the sec-- tion being taken on the line 2m-2:c of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the machine: on the line iar-4:1: of FigureB.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the discharge end of the machine, or as viewed from the left in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the brush 35 and the straps that support it.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of two of the segments of the drum, partly broken away and drawn apart, showing a leg of the spider in section.

Figure 8 is a plan view of two of the segments of the drum, partly broken away, assembled on one of the spokes.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9:r-9.r of Figure 8.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The machine is supported on four legs indicated by the reference numerals I, 2, 3 and 4. At the bottom of the machine frame is provided a drain pan 5. This pan drains toward the intake end of the machine and. at the lower end thereof is provided with a ,drain, pipe 6.

The rear end of the machine is partially closed by the plate I and the front end of the machine is partially closed bythe plate 8. Channel members 9 and iii are mounted transversely at the rear and front ends of the machine in which is mounted the stationary tube II, on which the drum or cylinder 12 revolves. This tube H is perforated, as shown in Figure 2, to permit of the distribution of water through this tubular support. Mounted to turn on the tubular support H are the spiders l3 and I4, each of which comprises four arms l5 joined together by bands It and [6a, all of which is made preferably in one piece. The drum which revolves with these spiders is indicated at I2 and consists of dour segments I20 divided longitudinally and bolted together on longitudinal seams l2b. This permits the sections of the drum to be assembled and held in place by the bands 16, which are a part of the spider, and by the separate bands H, H, for which there are no spiders. On the band Ilia is a ring of sprocket teeth l8, with which engages a sprocket chain l9 that is driven by a sprocket wheel 20. This is driven through gear wheels 2| and 22 from the pulley 23 shown. The pulley 23 is driven by a belt 24 .from the motor 25.

Each of the four longitudinal sections of the drum l2 is perforated with longitudinal slots 26 such as are shown in Figures 1 and 2. The sections are also corrugated, as indicated at 21 in Figure 4. The slots are cut in the troughs of the corrugations as viewed from the inside, and are therefore placed at the greatest possible distance from the central axis of the drum. Theseslots in the corrugations are omitted from the head end of the drum for a space of about one-quarter of the length ,of the drum, as shown in Figure 2. This holds the water in the drum, and keeps the driving gear dry, and increases the facility with which the vegetables are drenched by the spray.

At the forward end of the machine is provided a trough 30, into which the vegetables are fed. The bottom of the trough is provided with slats 3|, through which the dirt can fall into the pan 5. From. this trough the vegetables are fed into the revolving drum and as the drum revolves water is sprayed through the stationary supporting tube ll. As the drum turns the vegetables are washed and rub on each other, so that the dirt is separated therefrom and is carried out through the slots 26, and by the time the vegetables reach the tail end of the machine they are washed clean and are discharged through the opening 32 onto a gate 33 which swings on a horizontal axis 34. This gate can be tilted up or down by the lever 35a. and stationary rack 36 shown in Figure 1. If the gate is in horizontal position as shown in, Figure 2, the discharge of the vegetables will be more rapid, but if the gate is tilted up the discharge of the vegetables is delayed and they are held in the drum correspondingly longer and subjected to a longer scrubbing operation.

Swiveled on the stationary tube H is mounted a long brush 35 that extends between the spiders 6 and Ilia. This brush normally hangs down.

by gravity. It is rectangular in shape and comes within a short distance of the inside of the revolving drum. As the drum rotates with the vegetables inside of it, the brush swings up somewhat on that side and bears on the vegetables and helps to scour them clean.

On the legs 2 and 4 is provided adjustable sections by which the forward end of the machine can be raised and lowered to give the correct pitch to the drum, so that the vegetables will go through the drum at the proper speed. The legs are made of pieces of angle iron, one of which is adjustably clamped on the other. In this way the adjustment is secured.

I claim:

In a vegetable washing machine, the combination of a hollow drum, a shaft on which it is mounted to rotate, a brush mounted to swing from said shaft by gravity, said brush having a long rectangular base mounted radial to the drum, brush fibers distributed over one of the rectangular sides of the base, said brush extending lengthwise of the drum and extending nearly to the inside of the drum and being adapted to 10 scour the vegetables on the rotation of the drum.

PAUL NICOSIA. 

